


The Hale Ranch

by countrygirlsfun



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, Alternate Universe - Human, Evil Kate Argent, Hurt Derek, Hurt Stiles, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Abuse, Past Sexual Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-07
Updated: 2014-09-18
Packaged: 2018-02-16 10:35:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2266533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/countrygirlsfun/pseuds/countrygirlsfun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles is just really hoping there's a happy Derek in there somewhere. Because honestly, nobody that good looking should be left to misery. </p><p>No really, Stiles has a theory on this though: happy people are attractive. Attractive people who are also happy?<br/>Fucking beautiful.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Enter Stiles Stilinski: Horse Whisperer

**Author's Note:**

> The one where Stiles fixes a hurt and broken Derek and then Derek returns the favor.

Derek Hale was born and raised on his family's ranch in California. He grew up in a big family with lots of siblings and amazing parents. He grew up with horses and cows and dogs and cats and chickens. He grew up with guns and danger and hard work. He branded his first calf at 9, shot his first gun at 11, trained a horse at 13, and fell in love with his best friend, Paige, at 15. After falling in love, working with horses was his favorite. Working cows requires strength, finesse, and speed. Working with horses is the same but the animals are so much more intelligent. Derek liked working with horses so much more.

He almost lost his love for the animals when he lost his best friend. They were sixteen, had been dating for almost a year and were on their way back from a horse show with her family. Her dad was driving when he lost control of the truck. They skidded into an embankment. She wasn't wearing her seat belt. Paige died two weeks later from her head injury. Derek had walked away without a scratch. He'd left horses and the ranch behind him for a while; getting involved in sports at school. He excelled at baseball and helped his high school team take state two years in a row. After going off to college he realized just how much he missed the ranch. He came back after graduation and hasn't left since. At least that had been the plan. 

\---

Talia Hale was not unfamiliar with the Beacon Hills Hospital.

Raising 9 children on the Hale ranch meant she was no stranger to her children being injured. Through the years the pattern of her children challenging each other to do crazy stunts only increased. The older kids would dare the younger ones to keep up their legacy of pranks and reckless behavior. She's seen everything from sprained ankles to broken fingers to stiches.

None of that compares to the hurt she sees on her son’s face right now. After college Derek had come back to the ranch and had started focusing on expanding the horse training aspect of the operation. Talia and her husband had encouraged him to do what he so obviously loved. Things were going well they thought. He had even found another trainer he wanted to study under; a six month program 100 miles away at The Flying Arrow Ranch owned by the Argent family.

She's not entirely sure what that Kate girl did to her baby but she can't handle the broken look he's been wearing since he drove himself home with a broken leg and torn knee. Derek had called her from the driveway; between her and Laura they'd gotten him out of his truck and into the back of her SUV. He'd managed to tell them some of what happened.

He and Kate had been working when she'd done something and Derek's horse, Steve, spooked. Talia was at a loss as to what she could have done because that horse was as steady and calm as her son. But Steve had tripped and Derek hadn't gotten out of the way before his leg was pinned under Steve's body. Steve had struggled to get back up and ended up breaking Derek's leg and the tendon in his knee had torn in the process. After that, all she could get from Derek was that the two of them had fought before he was loading Steve and his tack trunk into the trailer and coming home.

  
The nurse that admitted him knew he'd need surgery. Even though it was minor Talia has never had a child have to have surgery and it’s unnerving. When he came out of anesthesia he had the same pained scowl on his face. He refused to stay in the hospital; wanting to go home instead. They kept him overnight anyway since his surgery on his knee had lasted until 9:00pm and he hadn't woken up completely for another hour.

That night when she went home, she, her husband Andrew and daughter Laura had decided they were going to need to hire someone to make up for all the work Derek does at the ranch. With just Laura and Derek hanging around the place now they don't have any of the younger children to rely on. She'd stopped at the community bulletin board outside the sheriff's station and posted a notice before she returned to the hospital and brought Derek home.

If Talia knew one thing she knew that if Derek was this closed off already he’d take some time to thaw about what happened. Now they just had to wait. Wait for Derek to open up and let himself heal, physically and emotionally; as well as wait for the right person to hire for the ranch.

 

\---

Stiles was excited for this summer. He'd just graduated college with a History degree that he didn't know what to do with. He was hoping to teach in his hometown but the teacher he would replace decided to keep teaching for a few more years instead of retiring. So Stiles came home from being away from his dad for 4 years and wasn't all that ready to leave him again and was looking for other jobs close to his dad.

Like most college students do, he had taken classes from different disciplines.  But unlike most students he took classes that were actually interesting or potentially useful. So he avoided the classes like underwater basket weaving or billiards and took things like carpentry and accounting. After graduation he got all moved back into his old room in his dad's house and started looking for a job. 

Freshman year he dated this girl who was from a ranch. She took him there to meet her parents after they'd dated a while and he instantly fell in love; with the ranch that is. Her dad had taken him out to the horses and cows expecting the city boy to balk and hate it. But Stiles loved it all and couldn't wait to learn more every time he went back. He'd even helped cook dinner that night.

Her parents loved him for it.

Problems came when he noticed her parents liked him more than she did. They broke up shortly before the end of freshman year.  Her dad still hired him whenever they needed more help with the cattle; a couple times a year. Her mother would pull him inside after he'd work cattle and teach him her recipes. The daughter found a city boy who didn't want to farm and was going into law. They're engaged now. Her mom still calls Stiles to check in and give him recipes and he got a save the date for the wedding in the mail. All in all not a bad first girlfriend to have dealt with.

Given his experience there, he knew he'd found the job he was looking for when he saw the help wanted poster for the Hale ranch.  

 

\---

Not even two days after Derek had come home broken and bleeding did they find someone to do his part of the work on the ranch. The same day Laura's mom hung up the 'help wanted' poster they'd gotten a call from the Sheriff's son. Now today she's showing the guy around her family's operation and what he'll be doing.

Stiles is kind of odd. She must have given him a few too many confused looks because he blurts out, "Sorry, I have ADHD; I have approximate knowledge on many things because of it. Hours spent on Wikipedia learning all sorts of random things in high school make conversations with me sporadic sometimes."

Laura had chuckled and continued to show him around. They talked about what kind of things he'd done at this other ranch. Laura laughed with him when he described the look on his exes face when he'd showed up to help after they had broken up. Stiles had said that her dad had taken the blame because he was the one who wanted Stiles to keep helping anyway. Stiles would really be an asset to the ranch this summer and beyond.

It's always revealing how much work somebody does when they are no longer able to do it. And it's always more obvious how much of a mess your operation is when you show it to someone new. With her parents tied up in vacations and being doting grandparents and Laura herself working for the local farmers market co-op and managing their own vegetable and fruit production, most of the work of the farm was left to Derek. And now to Stiles.

So she showed him the farm, the pastures they use, the indoor and outdoor riding arenas, the corral, the gardens, and the vehicles he can drive. They ended in the main barn that had most of the supplies, tack, and feed. It is also where they keep their horses and the horses they board. They're visiting and Laura stops in front of Steve's stall. He's been irritable since the Argent incident and hasn't let anybody near him. She's telling Stiles that Steve is Derek's when the horse lays his ears back and snaps at her through the stall. She turns to look at Stiles and is mirroring his surprised expression.

"I take it he doesn't normally act like that?"

Laura shakes her head.

"Never, he's always been a really calm, chill horse; Derek raised him like that."

"He's been like this since whatever happened?"

"Yeah. I don't think he's stopped pacing in his stall since  I took him out of the trailer. He hasn't calmed down since whatever happened."

Laura can see the wheels turning in this guy's head.

"What are you thinking?"

"Well, I have an idea but we'd need to talk to Derek."

"We can talk at him; no guarantee he'll talk back. He's been avoiding everyone for the past two days."

They were done looking around anyway so Laura takes him up to the house; he should know his way around it too. Laura takes him to the back door and lets him in through the muck room. All their work clothes and winter wear are haphazard around the room; Derek hadn't been around to keep it organized. She makes him take his boots off; good work boots not fancy heeled useless cowboy boots. She gives him a tour of the three story farm house before she ends up where she knows they'll find Derek: the study alone.

 ---

Stiles is pretty excited for this job if he’s honest with himself. Laura seems like somebody he’ll get along with easily and the operation has a good foundation. He’s already making a mental list of things he wants to accomplish while he’s working there as Laura shows him around.

He meets Steve and figures the animal has been through something probably equally traumatic as his owner has. Stiles doesn’t need to know what actually happened but he tells Laura he has an idea to help the stressed animal. He’s shown into the house and given a tour; she opens the door to the last room where Stiles is guessing Derek has locked himself away to avoid, well, mainly, Laura.

“And this is my little brother Derek. Who won’t tell us why he’s moping so hard core here. He keeps himself all holed up in here or his bedroom and-”

Stiles doesn’t know Laura or the family well enough yet, hell, he doesn’t know how siblings work but he doesn’t like her tone.

“Laura.”

She stops, slightly shocked and Derek acknowledges his presence in the room, but Stiles holds his ground and turns to Derek. 

“Derek, I’m Stiles. Your mother hired me to help out until you get better. I understand you’re not in the mood to talk but this is about Steve.” Sure enough, Stiles has Derek’s full attention now. “He’s stressed and irritable. You shouldn’t be out in the barn so soon after your surgery I’m guessing but I have an idea of something that might help.”

“What are you thinking?”

Derek’s voice isn’t as growly as Stiles was picturing. Laura is thankfully silent during their exchange.

“I’m thinking that your mom and sister trying to calm him down are reminding him of the woman who scared him in the first place. I could be way off base but I’m willing to try and work with him and I was thinking your scent might help. If I could use a sweatshirt you’ve worn recently or something in general that smells like you it might help him relax. Again could be totally wrong with all this I just thought it’d be worth a try.”

Derek just nods his agreement and starts wheeling towards his bedroom. Stiles lets him pass in the wheelchair before following him out of the room, Laura trailing behind them both. They make it to Derek’s room. He swipes a long-sleeve t-shirt off the ground, a sweatshirt out of a duffle bag and a light blanket off his bed. He’s got it all in his lap while he tries to turn around. Stiles just walks over and lets him hand it to him.

“Let me know if it works.”

Stiles nods and turns to leave. Laura follows him out of the room and back towards the muck room and his boots. He’s got one boot on by the time Laura finds her voice again.

“I don’t know whether to be impressed or annoyed that you can stand up to me on the first day.”

“Well, you know I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful right? I mean- I don’t know what happened to your brother but I’ve seen that look on his face before. It’s when you just need to work things through in your brain before you’re ready to talk to people. It takes some people longer than others to get through.”

“Where have you seen that look?”

Stiles smiles a little sardonically, “In the mirror."

She pauses only briefly. 

“Are you going to go work with Steve now?”

“If that’s ok, yeah I was going to.”

“Totally fine. You’re staying for supper now by the way so you’ve got a couple hours to work with him.”

“Perfect.”

With that Stiles is out the door, hefting the pile of Derek-smelling stuff. He makes it back to the barn and walks into the small office. He dumps the pile on the desk careful to try and keep things as clean as possible. He puts the sweatshirt on and finds the grooming bucket clearly labeled ‘Steve’ before he grabs the blanket and t-shirt again. Stiles walks down to Steve’s stall and pauses outside the door. He’s guessing on a lot of this right now and it feels like a test. Like make it through day one with Laura, Derek, and his horse and he’ll get the job. He tries not to think of it like that and just focuses on watching the animal  in front of him.

“Hi, Steve,” he murmurs.

Stiles figures Derek is the quiet type of communicator. Using body language and quiet words to work with his animals. Stiles can be quiet. No really, if he tries hard enough he can do this. He continues to say nonsense to the horse in a smooth, even tone as he opens the sliding door, carries his stuff inside and closes the door behind him again.

The horse is tense but less aggressive than he was towards Laura. It’s a start. Stiles moves forward and pulls the cuff of the sweatshirt over his hand as he lifts it towards the horses nose. Steve takes the offering and sniffs. One ear perks forward and he watches Stiles more intently. Stiles takes the reaction to try his next idea. He takes the t-shirt and pushes it between the halter and the horse’s face letting it fall just above his nose- letting the smell of his owner fill his nose. Stiles leaves the blanket for later and scoops up a curry comb and approaches the horse again. Steve seems more indifferent now; watching Stiles while munching on his hay. Stiles grooms the animal until all the tension is gone and Steve is asleep on his feet. Before he leaves Stiles gently lays the small blanket across the horses back. As long as he doesn’t freak out again the blanket should stay in place until after supper when Stiles can come back and take it off him.

Riding the high of his success he joins the Hale family, silent Derek included, for supper. He helps with the dishes, retrieves Derek’s blanket from Steve and tells Laura he’ll be back at 8:30 the next morning. He goes home with a hopeful feeling in his chest. He might not be teaching but he still might get to make a difference.

 

 ---

 

The sheriff was on his way home from a long day of paperwork. But now he had someone to go home to again. Stiles was back from school and had found a job near town even through it wasn't the teaching job he wanted. There had been a few rough patches after his wife Claudia died but he wouldn't trade his relationship with his son for anything. Stiles had started his new job at the Hales the day before and today was the first day he'd actually be doing some work. He wasn't expecting a three course meal when he got home but he wasn't expecting what he got.

What he got was Stiles lying flat on the kitchen floor in front of the vent with the air conditioning blowing across his face. There were unfamiliar Tupperware containers on the table. When he walked in Stiles opened his eyes and popped just his head up to look at him.

"Long day son?"

"I tried getting up to heat up your food. I can't move."

John just chuckled.

"You'll get used to it."

"I know that's what worries me. Dad, there's so much that needs to be done over there."

"Well, break it up into different projects that you can manage in a week or something. I don't know kid, but I think the nature of ranching means you're going to be working hard."

Stiles groaned and pulled himself off the floor and walked to the table.

"Yeah, yeah I know. This one has roast beef, this one your potatoes and carrots and there’s salad in this one. You don't eat your salad today I have Talia's permission to withhold pork ribs tomorrow."

With that his son shuffled up the stairs. John turned to fix himself a plate of the leftovers. He ate the salad first while his beef and potatoes warmed up in the microwave. He heard the shower turn on and chuckled to himself again. He knew his son worked hard but he would have never guessed he'd enjoy working on a _ranch_ of all places. The Hales were good people; the sheriff didn't have to worry about his son working for them. He knew they'd treat him right; probably better than anywhere else if this getting sent home with food thing kept up. He finished his salad and bit into the beef roast.

The sheriff would not be complaining about his son's choice of employment at all.


	2. Getting Organized

Friday is day three and Stiles is sore. Like he didn't know he used that many muscles in the last two days kind of sore. He's decided to take his dad's advice and break up the mountain of work there is to be done at this place. He gets his morning chores done before he's searching out Laura again. He finds her out in the huge garden plot the family has. 

“We need to talk about what I can and cannot do here, Laura.”

She comes striding over from where she was checking the pumpkins.

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Like, I want to fix up the barn, can I do that? I want to repaint the fence out front, organize the office, organize the tack, clean the muck room, clean the garden shed-“

“Ok, I get it you’re just as organized as Derek. Yes to all of it.”

“But, what shouldn’t I do? Like how much is too much?”

“How about this, Stiles, you write it all down and bring me the list and I’ll tell you then what you can and cannot do.”

Huh, that would actually be easier wouldn’t it. With that part set up he heads towards the house. He’s got a question for Derek, mainly, how the _hell_ do you do all this work all day and have time for anything else?

He finds Derek in the study, again. He knocks and Derek looks up from his book scowl firmly in place. He barely spares Stiles a glance before returning to the book.

“Steve is better now.”

“So what do you want?”

 _Seriously_.

“You told me to tell you if it worked. It worked. I also wanted to ask, for the daily chores around here do you have a routine?”

“Yes.”

And wow he actually is going to leave that as the answer.

“Seriously.”

“Yep.”

“No that’s- whatever. Dude, I didn’t know you in high school at all. I mean I knew who you were, you’re Derek Hale, but I was in eighth grade and you were a senior so I didn’t _know_ you. But I do know avoidance when I see it.”

 _Now_ Derek’s glaring, but Laura had seemed pretty worried this morning so Stiles was going to say something. He’d figure out what by the time he finished. He raised his hands in placation.

“Not that it isn’t a perfectly viable option for coping with whatever happened to you. At some point though as much as you clearly hate it you’re going to have to talk to somebody. It doesn’t have to be me it could be Steve for all I care but you have to say the words. You have to talk about it if you’re ever going to get past it. Physically too, Laura said this morning that she didn’t think you’d been out of your chair except to go to bed. Don’t screw up your leg for the rest of your life because you don’t want to deal. You need to get up and walk with your crutches at least a little bit every day.”

 _Whoops, there goes boundaries._ _Awh_ _fuck it._

“She’s worried I think.”

That’s enough. Stiles gets out of that room before Derek decides to start yelling; Derek had really looked like he wanted to throttle him. Oops.

Stiles heads back to the office in the barn. Takes him twenty minutes to find both a note pad and a pen that works. He draws up a list and writes it out twice one for Laura (which she approved) and one for him.  

Stiles doesn’t add, ‘help Derek get back to normal’ on his copy.

He doesn’t.

 

He also doesn’t add as an asterisk: ‘do it in a way that it looks like he’s helping you not you helping him.’

\---

Derek is pissed. Who does that kid think he is? He can get up and walk around if and when he wants to not because some punk kid told him to.

 

At least that’s what he tells himself as he walks to the kitchen and back on his crutches that night. Everything is stiffer than he expected though but he will vehemently deny that to any of his family. And Stiles will never know.

\---

Stiles gets Sundays off; well, he gets this first Sunday off because he is exhausted. Monday morning Stiles walks right in the front door of the Hale house and finds exactly what he expected. Everyone's gone and Derek was left sitting in front of the TV to brood alone. The man is slouched in his new wheelchair watching Judge Judy. Who _does_ that to themselves? He hardly reacts when Stiles enters the room. 

Stiles, finding actions work better with this brand of stubborn, walks over, turns the TV off, takes the remote from Derek's hand, and removes the package of Chips Ahoy (dammit the chewy ones are the best) from his lap. Derek is full on glaring now but hasn't broken the silence. It's once Stiles is pushing his chair towards the door that he does so. 

"What the hell are you doing."

Stiles needs to know how he manages to make questions sound like statements because wow. But he doesn't say anything, just gets Derek outside and closes the door behind them. They're almost to the truck when he asks again. 

"Seriously Stilinski what do you think you're doing?"

This time it sounds like a question. 

"I'm helping you get in the truck."

Derek huffs. Stiles hopes he's enjoying vague answers to his questions; it's not like he's unfamiliar with the practice. Stiles stops the wheelchair and locks the wheels with more ease than he wishes he had. He gets the truck door open and wordlessly picks Derek out of the chair, twists, and slides him into the passenger seat. He ignores the stunned look Derek is giving him in favor of folding the chair in half and sliding it in the backseat. 

After he closes Derek's door, he walks around the back of the truck taking in a few deep breathes as he goes. He climbs in behind the wheel and meets Derek's confused scowl with a smile though. He can't take the silence too long. 

"What? Have you even left the house since you got home from the hospital?"

"No," Derek growls, like he wanted to stay cooped up in his house for the entirety of the summer. Seriously. Stiles knows a little something, ok a lot, about avoidance. Main thing to realize is: it doesn't help. Stiles is hoping now that Derek's out of the house maybe he'll snap out of this crappy mood. Really he's hoping there's a happy Derek in there somewhere. Because honestly, nobody that good looking should be left to misery. 

No really, Stiles has a theory on this though: happy people are attractive. Attractive people who are also happy? Fucking beautiful. 

Although by that logic is everyone beautiful and if everyone's beautiful...now he sounds like the villain from the Incredibles. So the theory needs work. He studied history and literature not psychology or sociology or... Whatever. Moving on. 

Stiles is happy to leave Derek to his silent glares. Stiles may like to chit chat about whatever is rolling through his brain but he's come a long way in dealing with his ADHD. He's fully capable of leaving Derek to the silence he so obviously enjoys. They make it to the main road and Stiles is turning towards town when Derek again asks a question. 

"Where are we even going?"

Who is Stiles to ignore a direct query?

"Lumberyard and TSC. I need some supplies if I'm going to get anywhere on the list Laura and I drew up for summer projects."

Seemingly Derek wishes to converse. 

"What's on the list?"

"This and that. Re-fencing the back pasture, re-shingling your mom’s garden shed, tack mending, saddle cleaning, fixing some stalls, fixing part of the hayloft floor, haying etcetera."

Derek nods and a few quiet moments pass. 

"You are stronger than you look." 

Stiles can feel a blush creep up his neck and ears. 

"Sorry if you were uncomfortable. Last spring my godson broke his foot really badly and was in a wheelchair for a few weeks. I helped Scott and Alison by hanging out with him when they had to keep working. We both got bored with homework pretty quickly though and we'd end up on adventures. I spent 3 weeks with them and got pretty used to getting him in and out of my jeep. I figured you're just a bigger, scruffier version so it would be pretty much the same."

Derek must have accepted the response to his non-question because he just nodded and turned to face front again. Less than a minute later he pulled the visor down and flipped the mirror open. Stiles watched as he ran his fingers across his beard as if he was just now realizing how long it had been since he'd shaven. Stiles keeps driving in silence; mentally going over everything they need from TSC and then over to the lumberyard. 

As he parks the truck at TSC Derek looks at him. 

"Why am I here Stiles?"

"Because whenever I ask Laura a question she says, 'I don't care you decide.' But I don't know the best wire to get or if I need 2 by 4's or 1 by 6's and you do. So you're here."

Apparently being acknowledged as needed and useful is something Derek needed to hear because for the rest of the day it's like he's a completely different person. He teaches Stiles which wire to buy and to get four rolls not just one or two. He goes in front of Stiles and the cart with the list Stiles had made. He grabs the supplies they usually buy for the farm. Like the certain brand of work gloves and the specific fly spray for the horses and the right protein percentage dog food. Stiles for once is the more silent in a conversation and let's Derek talk about anything and everything he wants. They get all the fencing supplies and feed and extra supplies Stiles didn't even know they needed yet.

While Derek watches over the cashier ringing up their purchases Stiles ducks over and grabs two more pairs of wrangler jeans, a plaid shirt and a package of bandanas. Seriously cowboys knew what was up when they started wearing those things. Stiles had already discovered a need for the multifunctional accessory; from the basic of wiping sweat from his face or dirt from his hands to using it as a dust mask. He makes his way back over to the cash register and Derek just takes the clothes from him and throws them in with the rest of the stuff. 

"Dude, I can pay for my own work clothes."

"Too late."

Derek smirked as the cashier scanned the items and rang up the total. Without batting an eyelash at the number Derek swiped his card and signed his name. Stiles just shook his head and started to get their supplies to the truck. Derek led the way again and told Stiles how he could get it all to fit in the back seat to leave the truck bed open for lumber and shingles. 

The stop at the lumberyard was a lot of the same. Derek being helpful, if not a little bossy and Stiles listening and gathering supplies into their cart. By the time they had everything loaded up and were ready to go home Stiles was also ready for some food. 

They ended up stopping to get some of his beloved curly fries and Arby's roast beef sandwiches before the drive home. Derek didn't thank him for getting him out of the house but he did stay in the barn until Stiles had everything put away and then they discussed (argued) the best way to fix up the barn. By late afternoon Stiles had to start chores and Derek went back to the house. Stiles' determination to help the guy get better was only encouraged by the day’s success. 

\--- 

Derek has a problem.

Derek likes Stiles. 

It didn't happen right away. He didn't realize right away. But the more he interacted with the guy the more he liked what he saw.

Stiles was getting so much work done for the ranch. After their trip for supplies the first thing he did was to practically renovate the office. Derek was drug out there only two days after he'd started the project. Derek didn't recognize the space. Stiles has taken the first stall next to the office that was too small to be of use for anything and connected it to the office and blocked it off from the rest of the barn. Derek peered in the door and saw a bed with a basic end table. It was plain but it would serve if Stiles or whoever they hired next ever needed to stay the night.

The office was reorganized or rather, organized for the first time. Files were actually in the file cabinet, one wall now has an organizer with tack and groom kits separated by horse, there's even a whiteboard with each horses name, saddle, bit type, feed type, hay type, owner and personality. Derek chuckled when he sees 'Sour' written under Jackson's horse Portia. He likes how Stiles organizes. The back counter that always had random rack or medicine on it is cleaned off. The fridge is clean inside and out. The medicine is all organized on the tip shelf and the fridge is stocked with soda, bottled water and a case of beer. Derek figures Laura's the one who bought the case of Coors since it's her favorite. 

He likes that Stiles got him out of the house. He likes that Stiles doesn't push for Derek to tell him why he's in a weird place. Hell he doesn't even acknowledge it. Well that's not strictly true it's just they don't talk about it. Stiles just talks to him about the ranch and the work and doesn't try to pry. And yet Derek thinks if he ever wanted to talk to Stiles about what happened he could. He starts to work out in the office while Stiles continues to fix up the barn.

The office has a window so Derek can see people pass by and what's going on in the barn to a degree. Stiles stops in for water breaks and they talk. Well Stiles talks, Derek isn't entirely silent but Stiles definitely directs the conversation. That's ok with Derek though because he learns about Stiles. 

He learns that he went to college. Double majored in history and literature. He wants to teach and Derek thinks Stiles would make a great teacher. Attention to detail, his intelligence, his excitement for learning new things that you just can't help but mirror. He thinks the fact that Stiles made it through high school and college with ADHD and graduated with honors both times will be inspiring to his students that they can do it too. He's impressed if he's honest with himself. School was always easy for him. He didn't need to study too much and even when he was busy with shows and later baseball he always had enough time to study and keep his straight A grades. There's few things that compare to leading by example when it comes to high school kids and Derek thinks Stiles would be great at it.       
  
Derek admires his strength if character. He is always on time for work. He got a summer cold for a week and when Derek asked him why he didn't just call Laura and have her do the chores he acted like he'd never dream of calling in sick. Derek had never seen the barn cleaner. Its occupants were never left to live in their filth; every stall was cleaned daily. He respected the animals he worked with like a lot of people don't. The horses were always groomed and if they got muddy he'd always clean them up before putting them in their stalls. Derek had gone out to the corral to help them when they were doing pregnancy tests on the cattle. Even there, Stiles had used the right amount of force and tact when he was working cattle. Derek didn't think there was a malicious bone in his body.

Mischievous bone yes; malicious no.    

In between the daily chores and all of his side projects for the farm Stiles somehow found time to prank the boarders. Derek had laughed so hard when Jackson came in the office with egg running down his face and the rest in his helmet. Classic and maybe cliché but awesome nonetheless. He'd pranked every single one somehow; even Lydia. Which surprised Derek because Stiles had had a long time crush on the girl all through high school, but apparently they went to the same college together and stayed friends. But still, who would dare? It's Lydia Martin. Everybody got pranked, nobody escaped; not even Laura. Derek had nearly fallen off the couch laughing when she came in dripping and sputtering with cold water from her sprinkler system. Stiles had fixed it and hadn't told her so when she went out to check things she got to the middle of the huge garden when they all turned on full blast. Stiles had conveniently been off fixing the fence in the back pasture that morning.

Funily enough, nobody but Derek ever pranked Stiles back. Derek asked Isaac why nobody did anything to retaliate. Isaac had said an all-out war would have ensued and they didn't want to ruin anything.

Later that week the cab of Stiles' Jeep was filled with balloons and the windows were covered in post it notes.

Derek also appreciates Stiles taste in music. Everything from Alabama to Zedd is on his iPod and his phone. Derek likes all kinds of music and knowing Stiles does too gave them yet another thing to talk about. Stiles would send him links to songs or leave his ipod playing in the office. They'd talk about the way country music is going, how pop music is basically who you know to produce you and all the hipster bands that other people probably haven't heard of. Derek has the moment of realization the day Stiles sends him a playlist on 8tracks and its perfect.

_He likes Stiles._

He wants to _romance_ Stiles and be closer to him.  
But that means, he's going to have to flirt.

He's in trouble.

\---

Derek hasn't talked to Stiles in a couple days and it's awful. He'd been attempting to flirt and was making comments about relationships and Stiles had latched onto that. After Derek had flinched at the mention of Kate Stiles used that stupid brain of his and went right to the truth and had pushed and pushed for Derek to open up. Derek just wanted him to drop it but he didn't check his anger. Stiles had left looking small and afraid after Derek had yelled at him. Derek hadn't ever seen Stiles look so hurt and he could've smacked himself for being such an ass. Luckily he has Laura for a sister and after she'd seen Stiles face when he left the house she came in and smacked some sense into Derek. So when Stiles walks into the house looking for him on Friday he can't tell if he's just got something serious on his mind or if he's still upset.

"I know you're still mad at me but you're the only other person here. Your parents are off for their anniversary until the morning, Laura is at coop conferences all weekend and-"

Derek knows. They all have lives and can go out and do things without it being a huge undertaking.

"I get it we're alone. Your point?"

Stiles huffs.

"My point, Derek, is that I need to go find out if it's a coyote or a mountain lion or what is attacking the herd. And you're my backup."

Oh. Yeah the seriousness makes sense now. Stiles is going out there alone and Derek is all he has in case something goes wrong. So he nods his understanding.

"I'll be on channel 4 on the two-way and my phone is at 100%. Keep yours fully charged please?"

"I will."

Derek watched Stiles nod and turn towards the door. He debated letting him just walk out but Derek wasn't mad anymore; Stiles had been kind of pushy but Derek had been out of line to yell like he had. 

"Stiles," he waited for Stiles to look at him, "I'm not still mad."

"You're not?"

"No. We good?"

Stiles smiled this small, genuine smile that Derek’s never seen before but now that he has he wants to see it more and more though.

"Yeah we're good. I'll be on Cocoa; I'll check in when I get out into the pasture." 

Derek nods again and then Stiles is gone.

Three hours after Stiles checked in Derek tries and fails not to worry about Stiles out there alone.

It's another two hours before he's outside waiting on the porch and watching for Stiles to get back. The sun has nearly set when Derek can see a horse coming over the ridge towards the yard. 

He's waiting as patiently as he can, which isn't going very well, as the horse plods toward him. He couldn’t see a rider in the saddle when he first saw the horse and now he knows why. Stiles is there, he’s just bent over the saddle with his head resting on Cocoa’s shoulders. Derek leaves the porch to meet the horse in the middle of the yard. The first thing he sees is blood dripping off the hand that’s hanging loose by the horse's shoulder.

_Oh shit oh god ohshitohgodohshit._

“Stiles?!”

He sighs with no small amount of relief when he hears Stiles groan in response. He can almost breathe normally when Stiles lifts his head and looks at Derek while it rests on the horse again.

“Well,” He coughs and its wet sounding in his throat, “good thing your parents will be back tomorrow. I may need a hospital.”

His eyes drifted closed and Derek lets his panic out just a little. 

“STILES DON’T GO TO SLEEP!”

Ok maybe more than a little.

Stiles cracks an eye open at him, managing to smirk like he knows exactly what Derek was thinking.

“I won’t big guy. Want to call for an ambulance or something since neither of us can drive or get into a vehicle?”

Derek nodded as he dug his phone out and called for an ambulance but Stiles closed his eyes again. Without thinking Derek grabbed his hand, feeling it slide a little on the blood.

“You keep a hold of my hand so I know you’re conscious.”

Stiles nodded a little.

“Derek- can you call my dad? He’ll hear the call out for the EMT’s and won’t know why.”

After he'd called for the ambulance Stiles recited the number for Derek to call the Sheriff.  
It rang twice before the sheriff answered.

“Who is this?”

“Derek Hale, sir.”

“Why is there an ambulance going to your place Derek?”

Stiles gives him a perfect ‘I told you so’ look.

“Stiles is hurt, sir. But he’s conscious and wants to talk to you.”

Ha. Let Stiles explain himself to his dad. Derek hands the phone over, cringing that now its covered in Stiles blood.

“Dad, I’m- well, I’m not ok but I’m not dying either. Ended up getting closer to the mountain lion than I originally intended. Yeah, it’s dead. Yes I’m still on the horse. No don’t come to the hospital until Melissa calls you. Ok. Ok. I love you too dad.”

He hands the phone back to Derek. Stiles seems more coherent now so Derek doesn't freak out when his eyes close. The ambulance comes into the yard ten minutes later. When the EMT's peel Stiles off the horse Derek gets a full view of the damage. Stiles chest is ripped up through his shoulder and there's damage from either claws or teeth on his hip. He was keeping pressure on the wounds when he was laying down; once they lifted him off he finally passed out. Derek knew the driver and she knew horses so she took Cocoa back to the barn while Derek argued for them to take him with them. He did not want to leave Stiles alone.

\---

Stiles does not have the pain tolerance of Derek Hale. Mr. I’ll drive for over an hour with a broken leg. When the EMT's lift him off the horse and all the pain flares through his wounds he doesn't even try to fight to stay conscious. He faints, its ok. He comes to, partially, and hears Derek yelling. The next time he's aware of his surroundings he can hear Melissa talking to him; it still hurts too much though and he goes back to sleep. Next thing he knows he's floating and holy man there is no pain left anymore; he hears his Dad and Derek.

 _Oh good, they won't let me float away_.  

He falls asleep again then until he wakes up for real. He's not floating and he's not in agony; its a dull ache in his chest and his hip. He can feel the scratchy hospital sheets on his skin and he hopes they didn't have to cut his underwear. His Captain America boxer briefs are his favorite. He tries lifting his hand to rub the sleep from his eyes. Man, he hates IV's. It takes a Herculean effort to get his hand free of something and bring it to his face. He rubs at his eyes and opens them. He's expecting the harsh glare of hospital lights. But the curtains are drawn and just the lamp is lighting the room. The room that is occupied by himself as well as his dad, Scott, and Derek all asleep in their chairs. He puts his hand back down at his side and it lands on something: Derek's hand. He is strangely ok with the idea of Derek wanting to hold his hand and he grabs it again.

Just after, Melissa walks in and tuts at him.

“How about next time you kill the wild animal _before_ it tears you to ribbons.”

“I’ll work on that.”

He smiles as she walks over and runs a hand through his hair like he’s still 10 and needs a mother figure in his life.

Ha, who is he kidding, he’s always going to need her in his life.

He winces, “How bad was it Mama McCall?”

She just sighs, more at his injuries than the nickname. He hopes.

“You’re going to be fine, honey. We cleaned you up and you needed more than a few stitches. You were out of it for a while but we’ve replaced your fluids and you were given blood in the ambulance. Really, you just scared the bejesus out of these three with the blood loss.”

She kicks Scott’s chair and all three jerk awake at the sound. He looks to his dad first, squeezes Derek's hand before he lets go to hug his father.

"I think I speak for all three of us that you need to be more careful, but we’re glad your ok."

Stiles sighs, "I know, I'll try."

His dad leaves to get back to work then after another hug, and a promise to take it easy. Melissa goes back to work and Scott gives him a too-tight hug before he goes to get him some clothes to get home in the next day. Derek is silent until they're alone; he's got to wait for Laura to come get him from the hospital.

Stiles waits for him to say something because he's got this look on his face that Stiles can't read.

  
"Please. Please, Stiles. Don't do that again."

Something about how earnestly Derek is asking him to not get hurt makes his heart swell. He tries to be reassuring when he promises to be careful and judging by the satisfied look he must have accomplished it.

He goes home the next morning and spends the whole day sleeping on and off in his bed. The Hales insist he takes the rest of the weekend off. By Monday he's both itching to do something and getting exhausted when he tries to do anything. He gets himself to the ranch and the bed in the office. He naps for an hour. He wakes up feeling better and joins Derek in the office. Stiles had wanted to spend some time cleaning and mending tack and this was the perfect excuse. He could sit and work with his hands and if he got dizzy he had the bed right there to lie down on. Derek made him rest again after Talia had brought them lunch. The rest of the week passes like that: Stiles working on tack and saddles in the office with Derek making him take breaks throughout the day. The week passes without incident; except for Tuesday when Derek finds Stiles passed out on the floor of the office. Stiles had woken to a very angry and nervous Derek hovering over him. It was not something he wanted to repeat; he was more careful the rest of the week.

\---

The best part is that they get to spend almost their whole day together. Stiles tries to do most of the talking but they soon discover that it makes him tired. That alone is frustrating but compound it with the fact that he can’t hardly get up and get new saddles or tack to work on without needing a rest and Stiles going crazy. So Derek picks up the slack in the conversation. He tells Stiles about growing up on the ranch, about his family. He talks about their traditions and what they do on each holiday. He tells Stiles about what he studied at school and what he wants to do with the ranch if his parents leave it to him. He tells Stiles about Paige, about how he was guarded ever since. How Kate had been so persuasive.

It took a while and it was awkward and uncomfortable but he even told Stiles about what Kate had done and said. How she’d basically coerced him into sex. And when Derek had found out she was charging him almost double the other students she’d laughed in his face. She laughed and said, “oh sweetie just consider it payment for all that average sex we had.” Considering Derek hadn’t wanted sex in the first place, she was a bitch, and then she spooked his horse so bad he broke his leg, Derek was done. So beyond done.

Derek explained that that was why he’d been in such a weird headspace since the accident. The best part was Stiles just listened and didn’t push for Derek to tell him why it was so awful. He just took what Derek told him and didn’t ask for more detail or anything like his mom or Laura would.


	3. Independence Day

Soon enough after Stiles is feeling better he returns to the list. He has the office renovated, the barn fixed up, he has the garden shed organized and reshingled. He took care of the mountain lion, he’ll admit that one didn’t go to according to plan, but it was taken care of. His next goal was to work on fencing and getting the barn where the cows would winter ready. So while Stiles worked on his list, Derek was ready to start his lessons. He’d postponed the summer session until he was back from the Argents. When he came home early, he left the start date where it was so he could heal up a little before dealing with students.

He had a small group of them. Lydia Martin was a feisty little red-head that was a barrel racer. Isaac Lahey was a baby faced guy who team roped with Vernon Boyd. Erica Reyes competed in Western Pleasure classes and Jackson Whittemore competed in reining competitions.

All in all they kept Derek busy. They had personality clashes and relationship issues that Derek _never_ wants to deal with so he ignores it. They come to the ranch, warm up, go through their basic exercises before Derek gets out to the barn to instruct them on what they should work on for the day.

Two weeks into their instruction and Derek wakes up well rested for once. He fell asleep to the sound of rain and the oncoming thunderstorm. When he woke up another round of storms was just finishing. All he wants to do is make his bagel but someone has different plans for his morning. Just when he's about to take a bite there's a knock on the front door. Stiles wouldn't knock anymore; it'd have to be one of the riders he's training. Derek shoves a bite of bagel into his mouth anyway and walks to the door with just the one crutch. He swallows and opens the door to find all of his students standing there in the rain.

"What?"

Lydia, always in charge, answers him.

"None of our horses have been fed or groomed."

"And?"

"Normally Stiles does it and they're ready when we get here. None of the morning chores have been started even though his Jeep is here. He's not answering his phone either."

Well that's troubling. If his Jeep is still here he must have stayed over last night. He probably just overslept.

"I know you all know how to feed and groom your own damn horses you did it before Stiles ever came to work here so go take care of your own animals and get to work."

Lydia is the only one with the balls to huff in annoyance and they all turn back towards the barn. Derek grabs his coat, a second crutch and throws on his mud boots quick before he's following them out there. He walks right to the office. It’s actually really messy which again is troubling because Stiles has been keeping the office spotless. He walks over and knocks on the door.

"Stiles?"

No answer. He tries the door knob, its unlocked. He's unprepared for  the sight he gets when he opens the door.

The room, for one, is a mess; it reeks like sweat and vomit and stale air, the curtains are drawn so its dark and musty feeling. But that's nothing compared to the state that Stiles himself is in. Derek can't tell if he's awake or asleep, he's pale but his eyes are puffy and red from crying, which Derek is pretty sure he's still doing. He's curled around a pillow; holding on for dear life. There's a feed pail right by the bed that Derek is hoping that Stiles threw up in and not in the bed. He walks over as fast as he's able. He reaches down to shake Stiles shoulder.

"Stiles."

Nothing.

"Stiles, wake up."

Derek shakes him a little harder and Stiles wakes up with a gasp and clings to Derek's hand. He heaves in fast shallow breaths before he asks, "are you real?"

Its so quiet Derek barely hears him. Before he can actually register the question Stiles asks it again.

" _Please_ , tell me you're real."

"Yeah, yes Stiles I'm real. Are you ok?"

It’s a dumb question, he knows, but he also has no idea what's going on right now. Stiles shakes his head, new tears starting to fall. But he won't let go of Derek's hand. He finds himself sitting next to Stiles on the bed and pulling out his phone. Stiles is freaking him out right now because he's still _crying_ and Derek doesn't know what to _do_ with that.  

"Laura? Get down to the barn right now I need your help. Grab one of my t-shirts and a pair of sweats."

He hangs up trusting his tone will get Laura to come running. He doesn't want to make anything worse but dammit he really needs to do something. Stiles is trembling now so he starts running a hand up and down Stiles back, it helps to a degree. Its not enough for either of them though. He tilts Stiles face up to look at him.

"Stiles I have no idea what is going on. You gotta tell me what to do here."

He looks embarrassed and vaguely uncomfortable he can't tell, before he gets a 'fuck it' look on his face and he croaks, "Can you hold me please."

Oh god yes. Derek can do that. Laura chooses this moment to walk in though.

"What the fuck."

Stiles groans and puts his face in the pillow but he's still shaking.

"Derek?"

"No clue. Just can you get rid of this," he kicks the bucket towards her, "and grab a clean bucket with a cloth and some fresh water?"

For all her faults Laura knows when to just keep her mouth shut and help. She takes away the bucket and leaves the door open to the office. Derek pulls away and Stiles actually _whimpers_.

"I'm right here and you are so explaining all this at some point."

Stiles nods and goes back to clinging to the pillow. Derek opens the window but leaves the curtains closed. Laura's back then with the water and a cloth they usually use on the horses but they just washed these and restocked the pile with clean ones.

"What else?"

"Food, maybe? I'll try and get him to the house eventually. Can I call you again to bring it out if not?"

She nods and leaves after giving him the clothes, cloth and water pail.

Derek pulls Stiles up to sit. He peels his sweaty shirt off and throws it aside. He gets the cloth wet in the cool water and slowly wipes Stiles chest and neck and back. He dunks it back in the water and wrings it out again before he wipes at his face. He helps Stiles out of his work jeans, and into his sweats and t-shirt. He refreshes the cloth again and crawls onto the bed behind Stiles. He doesn't even have to pull him down. Stiles lays down and Derek pulls him flush against his front, gets his arms around his waist and the cloth on his forehead and waits. The tears have stopped but he's still trembling slightly. He doesn't say anything long enough that Derek wants to know what’s going on and is willing to be the one to break the silence.

"Stiles?"

He sighs but says nothing.

"Are you sick?

He shakes his head.

"Was it...the storms?"

The way he tenses kind of says it all.

"It's not..." He gets out a small groan of frustration. "I'm not afraid of storms." He sucks in a breath before he continues slowly. "The night my mom died it was storming. Like one of the biggest thunder storms of the summer. I was eight. I had nightmares and panic attacks for months afterwards. I haven't, haven't had anything like this, it's been years since I've had anything like this but..."

Derek just holds him tighter; hopes it gives him strength. It must help because he continues.

"It was 15 years yesterday. She's been gone so long and- it-" He sniffles. "God, _sorry_."

"No," he can't help it when he kisses Stiles neck. "No, don't apologize."

Stiles shudders but he sounds stronger when he starts talking again.

"I worked too late last night and the storms started and I ended up staying here and the real life storm fed into me having nightmares and I couldn't- I couldn't tell if it was real or not. I would get stuck in my brain not knowing if it was a dream or where I was or if I was 8 years old again and she'd just died. I panicked; I don't know how much was nightmare and how much was panic attack but it started when I fell asleep at midnight and didn't end until you walked in and I knew it was finally over." He breathes out a sigh that turns into a yawn. "I need to get up and do chores but damn I don't want to move right now," he slurs.

"They'll keep. Do you want me to leave?"

"Absolutely not. Do you want to leave?"

That's an easy one.

"Absolutely not."

 

They end up laying in bed for the rest of the morning. Stiles falls asleep almost immediately and doesn't even twitch or whimper once while he sleeps. He just melts into Derek's chest and Derek manages to send Laura a text telling her not to worry and that chores will get done later if she doesn't have time to do them herself. He doesn't indulge in a nap; preferring to watch over and protect Stiles’ sleep and make sure its peaceful.

\---

Stiles is exhausted, he can’t even begin to process how emotionally and physically drained he is. He spent an entire night panicked and scared and feeling like he was paralyzed in that fear. It was a miracle he managed to throw up in the bucket and not all over himself because he gets out of the cycle of nightmare after panic attacks by Derek.

 _Derek_.

Seriously, his luck.

Then Derek doesn’t even bat an eyelash at Stiles needing someone to cuddle him. He just wipes the sweat off him like an overworked horse and dresses him in his own clothes. Stiles energy levels are starting to crash and he’s comfortable and calm and Derek just lays down behind him and he lets  himself be the little spoon. Derek coaxes an explanation out of him and even kisses (kisses!) Stiles’ neck when he’s going to break down crying again. And then, _then_ , Derek just shrugs off chores like it’s not Stiles _job_ right now and offers to leave.

This is the most surprising part of the whole thing.

Stiles doesn’t want him to leave.

After that first wonderful experience of getting a girlfriend things had pretty much gone downhill in the relationship area. After surviving an abusive boyfriend, he had sworn he would never let anyone that close again. He was sure he wouldn’t like it and wouldn't trust anyone enough to let them get that close to him. He was bound and determined that he was not going to be comfortable having sex or even being intimate with anybody ever again.

But here he is wrapped up in Derek’s arms and feeling impossibly safe. He decides to think about it later though opting to sleep while he feels so protected with Derek at his back.  

He wakes up with his face smooshed into Derek’s chest, having turned around in his sleep at some point. Oddly enough he is still comfortable, he doesn’t feel like he's restrained at all, just surrounded in a somehow perfect way.

But then Stiles realizes it’s because it’s Derek.

He trusts Derek.

He likes Derek.

Oh. Oh no.

It’s like all at once Stiles can see the past few weeks in a different light. They’ve been flirting. More specifically Derek has been flirting. Oh god. Derek kissed him earlier. Derek likes him back. Normally finding out someone as beautiful and kind and smart as Derek likes you and maybe wants to date you would be a good moment but Stiles can’t help but be disappointed.

There’s no way someone who looks like he does doesn’t want sex. Maybe its shallow, ok it’s really shallow. But they haven’t discussed this part of themselves at all. Stiles would date him so hard. But the fact remains that Derek isn’t going to want to date someone so- he’s not broken but traumatized isn’t inaccurate. Stiles is not up for sex.

He likes trusting Derek; he likes being friends. Honestly, his brief friendship with Derek is rivaling his bromance with Scott. He just doesn't want to ruin it all if Derek finds out he's- he's damaged and then doesn't want to deal with Stiles at all after that. He doesn’t realize his spiraling thoughts had him hyperventilating until he feels Derek rubbing his hand up and down his back and talking to him.

“You’re okay Stiles. It’s okay. Calm down. Breathe. You can do it Stiles, you’re okay.”

Stiles lets out a shuddery breath and does calm down.

“Hey.” Derek pauses for Stiles to look at him. When Stiles does he continues. “Are you going to be okay now?”

“Yeah, I should be.”

Derek nods. He looks like he wants to say something before he decides against it. They end up laying there for another few minutes before Derek gets up. Derek goes off to be an instructor or something and Stiles has instructions to get himself to the house and Derek’s bed when he’s ready to move. He doesn’t have to do chores; Laura did them. He feels guilty and relieved all at once.

It takes another 10 minutes of even breathing before he tries sitting up. He feels kind of shaky but he figures that’s in large part due to the fact that he hasn’t eaten anything substantial in so many hours. He really wanted to get out of that room and out of the barn. Derek told him to go to the house and he just didn’t have it in him to argue or even try to drive home. He made straight for the house and shuffled his way up the front steps to the door.

He doesn’t get there before the door is ripped open and Laura’s there bustling him in to the couch. Derek had said to use his bed but honestly Stiles isn’t ready to get all up in Derek’s personal space yet. The couch it is and Laura practically throws him down he’s so unsteady. She fusses and goes and makes him some toast or something. He’s having trouble deciphering her mumbles.

She comes back in and sits down right flush up against him. He’s not expecting her to be so tactile but he must have freaked her out or something because she kind of clings to him. He shoves the toast in his mouth before he sighs and just when he’s going to rearrange them she beats him to it. In a blink of an eye he ends up in her lap with her arms around him and his head is being laid down on her shoulder.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“Not really Laura.” He sighs. “Panic attacks, sleep paralysis and nightmares.”

Laura doesn't say anything to that. Stiles blows a big breath out and changes the subject.

"On a completely unrelated note what do you know about Kate Argent and the Argent ranch?"

Laura fills him in on pretty much everything he needs to know. When she's done she asks, "why did you want to know that, of all things?"

Stiles merely shrugs and hopes his smile wasn't too manic. Master of conversation that he is he plows right on through to ask his other unrelated question.

"What's your family's plan for the Fourth of July?"

\---

Derek loves the 4th of July. Drinking and horses and his family and the lake and food? Yes please. Thing is it's been a few years since they've all been able to get together. So as much as he wants to look forward to the day he can't bring himself to get up out of bed and get excited. Which is where Stiles finds him. That in and of itself is a surprise. Stiles has been busy with something the last week and Derek hasn't seen much of him. Derek noticed Stiles would come to work, do the chores and then shortly after his students would arrive he'd be gone. And in the mornings he would look just beat down dead tired. Like he was working all night instead of sleeping. He could never figure out just what he was up to and every time he'd try and bring it up something would change the subject.

Regardless Stiles is now standing over him with a frown on his face and that's just not good. Stiles should not frown. He sits up quickly but despite being awake for almost an hour he still gets that stupid head rush.

"What's wrong?"

Stiles' face scrunches in confusion.

"Nothing's wrong you're just still in bed. Come on I have plans I told you I have plans for us today."

"You told me nothing of the sort."

He snarks back as he rolls out of bed towards the shower. Stiles huffs and flops back onto the bed while Derek grabbed some clean clothes. He doesn't take long in the shower and comes back to find Stiles all curled up on top of his bed that's been made.

"Ok so what did you tell me we were doing and when do you think you told me this?"

Stiles sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

"Dude I swear I told you Monday."

Derek fixed him with a look.

"Monday you stared at me blankly for 5 minutes before telling me you wouldn't be around much this week."

Stiles shrugged, "Well, Derek I'm telling you now then. We have plans for the day. So lets get going and wear your boots."

And did Stiles ever have plans. Plans for Derek's torture that is. Stiles had Steve and Cocoa groomed and ready to saddle. It took all of 5 minutes to saddle their horses, sling the suspiciously full saddle bags behind them and set out. Stile led them to the edge of the pasture but didn't go in. They ended up riding around the new fencing he'd done and into the woods. Riding behind Stiles and watching him on Cocoa was pretty close to torture. He rode like he'd been riding since he was born. He was so smooth in his cues and directions. Derek watched his thighs flex and signal as they navigated through the woods. Watched his shoulders shift and his plain white t-shirt stretch over his arms as he kept his balance and used the reins lightly. He was mesmerizing to watch.

Derek got so distracted he nearly ran into Stiles when he stopped. They were in a clearing with the creek nearby. Stiles smiled and got off his horse. All the grace he'd had while riding Cocoa was gone in an instant as he tumbled to the grass. Derek let out the biggest laugh; something he realized he hadn't done in front of him given the look Stiles gives him. He looks so fucking happy that Derek's happy like he doesn't even care that Derek's laughing at him, just that he's laughing.

Stiles ends up pulling everything out of the saddle bags and after unsaddling the horses they picnic for lunch. Just getting to spend time with Stiles is always relaxing but this is ridiculous. They let the horses cool off before the jump back on bareback and just lay on the horses. Derek hasn’t done that since he was a teenager; hasn’t taken the time. He nearly loses it though when Stiles lays face down backwards on Cocoa with his face on top of her butt. That is until he does the same and realizes how goddamn comfortable it is. It’s a good thing Laura isn’t around she’d mock him forever. He only looks up when he hears Stiles phone make a noise. He narrows his eyes at Stiles.

“You just took a picture didn’t you.”

“Yup.” He says all smug popping the ‘p’ at the end.

Stiles doesn’t waste anytime sliding off Cocoa to run away from Derek. But Derek doesn’t move.

“You lose. I’m still comfy and you’re not.”

Stiles bursts into laughter. It strikes Derek he’s seen Stiles huff in amusement or chuckle or snort but never this. This is full body like he simply can’t contain it. Stiles doesn’t laugh; Stiles bursts with joy. Derek is entranced. Once Stiles calms back down he checks the time. It’s time to go apparently because he starts to pack up. Derek gets up and helps. Once they have the bags repacked and the horses saddled again Stiles takes the lead again They wind their way through forest.

Belatedly he realizes they’re headed for the lake. He vaguely remembers telling Stiles about the lake and the summer family gatherings they’d have there. It’s a shock when they come around to the back side of the lake and Derek sees his entire family. Everyone. His parents, his three brothers their wives and kids, Laura and Cora are there as well. His grandparents are already sitting in chairs underneath a shade umbrella. The kids are all swimming and the rest of the adults are standing around a bunch of coolers and the picnic table. Derek can’t really speak. He looks to Stiles but Stiles is just smiling and riding towards the group. There's a couple he doesn’t recognize but he figures he’ll get introduced soon enough. He’s proved right when after they’ve unsaddled the horses for a second time Stiles takes him right over to them.

“Derek this is Scott McCall, my brother in every way but blood and his lovely wife Allison Argent-McCall.”

He must flinch when he says Argent because the girls face softens.

“I hate my aunt. We used to be really close until I found out she is a terrible person and my dad and I left her and Gerard to start our own business.”

Derek’s surprise must be written all over his face. That’s…quite the introduction.

“Uh, ok? What do you do now then? Do you still work with horses?”  
“Nah, my dad and I sell and consult on weapons. Guns, bows, cross bows, knives. You name it I’ve heard of it or worked with it.”

Jesus. Stiles and Scott are in their own discussion so he leans over to say quietly.

“I take it if I ever mess with Stiles and you find out about it I should be concerned for my own safety right?”  
“Right.”

There's are a hard glint in her eye that disappears almost as quickly as it came but the message is still the same. All of sudden Stiles is back in the conversation though.

“Speaking of Kate Argent how’s she been lately?”

Derek gives Stiles an incredulous look at him bringing Kate up purposefully. But Stiles just puts a hand lightly on his arm and gives him a look that says ‘just wait.’ Allison is obviously in on whatever is going on because she taps a finger against her chin as she looks up like she’s really thinking about it.

“You know I hear things aren’t going so well. It seems somebody wreaked havoc on the Argent Ranch this week. Tack was resized, stupid stuff like stirrups being shortened or lengthened or both. Bits and reins being swapped on the bridles. Brushes mixed up in the different boxes. Files completely reorganized and by reorganized I mean shuffled so the contents don’t match the file folder."

"Her computer had a- a glitch? Anyway something caused all of her invoices to be sent to everyone and her notes on sessions to be posted online in her blog. She’s been dealing with customer backlash for the last couple days. it seems she’s lost most of her clientele due to the varying rates she was using and her comments about them. Since apparently she was overcharging about 80% of her clients she’s not going to be very busy in the near future.”

Scott joins in at this point just way too excited.

“I heard her security system died but not before it caught a picture of some dude in a beanie and combat boots. So she may be trying to figure out who that is. But there were no fingerprints. Anywhere. And the dude’s face isn’t on camera so the chances of her figuring out who did it are slim. And by slim I mean none. It’s almost like the guy knew how not to get caught. I don’t know, almost like he was-“

Scott shifted his gaze over to Stiles and Derek followed it.

“-the son of a cop.”

Derek looked over and saw Stiles with a beanie over his hair and combat boots on instead of his riding ones. Derek’s jaw drops. For more than one reason. One, that look on Stiles is badass and two, he seriously went against Kate Argent just for him. Not only that but succeeded in fucking up her life. It takes a lot of restraint to just hug the shit out of Stiles and not kiss the shit out of him too.

“Happy Birthday, dude.” Stiles whispers from where he's hooked his chin over Derek's shoulder.

He controls himself to just the hug and Scott and Allison laugh. He leaves the three to visit while he goes to talk to his family. He feels so achingly blessed that he just doesn’t want the day to end. As it turns out it’s only just beginning. Apparently Stiles had planned with his mother and they barbeque for supper, hang out and visit all afternoon while the kids swim and take turns riding Steve and Cocoa.

\---

By the time dusk settles in there's a bonfire lit. only after everyone has had way too many s’mores does the family start to pack up. Laura and Derek’s brother, Drew, take the horses back to the yard and leave a truck for Derek and Stiles. After that it's not long before the rest of the family has left the lakeside and returned to the house. Stiles and Derek sit in their camping chairs still relaxing by the embers of the bonfire. Stiles takes a drink from his beer and tries to find the guts to do what he's got planned to end the night. They sit in silence taking in the bright, clear night sky. It's perfect- well almost perfect. They're almost where Stiles wants them. He reaches up to throw his bottle in the trash bucket as he settles back in his chair Derek kicks his foot out to nudge their boots together. He won't look at Stiles though; opting to watch his hands instead.

"Thank you, Stiles. For all of this. Today was..." Derek finally looked up with this soft, genuine smile, "today was perfect."

Stiles felt himself return the smile when he said, "Well, the day isn't over yet."

His grin grew bigger when Derek's expression showed his confusion.

"I just hope this next part doesn't ruin the day for you."

"I doubt it will. What's the next part?"

Stiles stood, still unsure but willing to admit he wanted to do this.

"Well, you know clubs aren't really my type of place anymore but..."

He explained as he walked over to the truck and Derek got up and followed a few paces behind. He reached in the cab and pushed the back window open and then put the rest of the windows down. After turning on the radio he stepped back to Derek closing the door behind him. Now it was his turn to avoid eye contact.

"I just really would like to dance with you."

Stiles felt Derek's fingers on his chin and lift his head up.

"Why would that ruin my day?"

Stiles was relieved to find Derek still smiling softly in that way that makes something in Stiles chest clench. He shrugged and Derek ducked past him. Stiles watched as he plugged his phone in to the radio and an upbeat song began to filter through the speakers. He shook his head.

"Derek part of the reason clubs aren't my thing is I don't know how to dance."

Derek obviously doesn't care because he's got Stiles' hand in his and the other on Stiles' back.

"So you don't know the two-step?"  
"Not even a little."

Derek grinned.

"That's ok. I'll lead until you catch on."

And with that Derek spun them around in a circle before settling into a rhythm that Stiles surprisingly didn't suck at. He laughed when he stepped on Derek's toes for the third time.

"I'm sorry!" He laughed, "I was getting better."

Derek just smiled fondly. "You're fine Stiles."

After a few more songs had passed and Derek admitted his leg was getting tired they put on the slow songs and swayed to the music. This was what Stiles had been looking forward to. Feeling safe in Derek's arms. And that's just what's going on with their arms around each other's waists and Stiles face tucked into Derek's neck. They stay wrapped in each other's arms and talk about everything they can think of until Derek's leg is too tired. Stiles shoves him into the passenger seat and puts the chairs and the last cooler from by the bonfire in the bed of the truck. He douses the fire and walks back to the truck. When Stiles crawls in he turns towards Derek to say how nice the day was when Derek surges forward hand twisted in the fabric of Stiles' T-shirt and kisses him. He only pulls back a little to talk.

“There’s only one way you could make this day better.”

Stiles licks his lips before he says, “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“Go out with me this weekend?” he kisses Stiles lightly again. “And the next one? And the next one?”

“Derek Hale are you asking for me to be your boyfriend?”

“What if I am?”

“I’d say you don’t know what you’re getting in to.”

Derek smiles.

“I think I have a pretty good idea.”

 

 

 

 


	4. Epilogue

OK so maybe Derek didn’t know what he was getting in to.

Derek takes Stiles out to eat that weekend and notices for the first time how obnoxious he can be. He knew the host, he knew the wait staff, and he complained about his food so thoroughly that the chef came out to see the problem. And as soon as the chef saw Stiles just threw his hands up and stomped back into the kitchen. Stiles wouldn’t let the waitress take his plate back and get him new food admitting it was fine. The little shit was just messing with the chef. Before dessert Stiles had disappeared but when he came back he brought the chef with to introduce him to Derek. They’d been in freshman English together and he’d done something that had Stiles indebted to him forever.

He doesn't put up with Derek's shit either. Stiles makes him do _all_ of his stupid physical therapy. He makes him take care of Steve all by himself. If he finds out Derek didn't do his stretches and strengthening exercises he marches in the house from working and shuts whatever book Derek's reading or shuts off the TV and then he'll stand there and watch to make sure he does them all correctly. It's stupid.

He's always around and hangs out with his family. Ever since they all came home for the Fourth of July Derek's siblings have been more active in coming to the ranch to visit their parents. So not only is Stiles buddies with Laura now but the whole damn family. Derek nearly left the room when Cora pulled the childhood family albums out; he was so embarrassed.

Derek got mild payback for that though it was overshadowed by the tension of meeting the Sheriff. Of course he'd met the sheriff before but not as his only son's boyfriend. They had to go have supper with him one weekend. Stiles did nothing to prepare him for it. Derek tried to be prepared by bringing a bottle of booze and wearing nice clothes.

Only to have Stiles tell him the sheriff was a recovering alcoholic and couldn't have any liquor in fear of relapsing. At least he only let Derek be mortified for about thirty seconds before he laughed and said he'd brought the man’s favorite scotch. Stiles had actually apologized pretty well for that though with a few perfect slow kisses.

But the night was still stressful with conversations of guns and safe sex and threats of arrest if he broke Stiles’ heart. There, though, Stiles was embarrassed too. They'd spent the night watching baseball. Derek had to watch the Mets lose, spectacularly. But then Derek got to see childhood pictures of Stiles and his parents and the night wasn't so bad.

Ok so Stiles wasn't so bad.

Who is Derek kidding Stiles is perfect for him.

 

But for as much as Stiles and him mesh and work so well together there's one thing that's actually bugging Derek.

Stiles won't hardly let Derek touch him.

 

So Derek tries to take it slow. He doesn't know why Stiles is so hesitant. He can't imagine Stiles having issues with how he looks. Stiles is gorgeous and Derek has never seen his confidence so much as waver. He nearly sees red when he entertains the possibility that someone hurt Stiles. How someone could have such a wonderful person in their lives and then hurt them is beyond Derek's understanding and he already wants to find whoever hurt Stiles and make them pay for the mistake they made. Derek has convinced himself this is the problem. He'd love to be proved wrong.

Derek decides that he is going to help Stiles with this in anyway he can. Stiles helped him with Kate, Derek can help with this.

The problem is Derek doesn't know how and doesn't know how to ask.

-

It's the first week of August and the sheriff has a shift that'll keep him out of the house all night. It's a rainy afternoon and Stiles can't work and Derek doesn't have lessons. They end up curled up together on the couch in Stiles' childhood home watching movies.

They're watching Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Stiles ends up on top of Derek's chest; his body nestled in between Derek's legs. At some point Stiles looks up and kisses Derek with a smile. Derek takes the opportunity and keeps kissing him. They miss when Bucky pulls Cap out of the river while they get lost in each other and the lazy kisses they keep trading. When Derek hears the menu playing on repeat he pulls back and runs his fingers through Stiles hair to hold on the back of his neck lightly. Stiles eyes flutter with the movement and Derek chuckles. His voice is rough when he asks if Stiles wants to go upstairs.

What should have been his first clue that something is off: Stiles doesn't make a joke about bad pickup lines.

But he takes the hand Stiles offers when he crawls off Derek and follows him to Stiles' bedroom. He playfully shoves Stiles back onto the bed and feels vaguely like a predator stalking its prey as he crawls up the bed over Stiles.

That should have been his second clue.

Stiles kisses him again though but this time it's easier for hands to wander and kisses to get deeper but the smiles between kisses are gone. That's Clue #3 Derek doesn't notice. Derek's been half hard since the couch and his mind is hazy in his lust so he keeps missing things. The first time he rolls his hips against Stiles' he hears a gasp so he pulls away to kiss down Stiles neck and that stupid jawline. This way he hears Stiles gasp out Derek's name desperately when his hips roll down again.

Derek's hands are sliding up Stiles’ sides as he moves to take off his shirt when he hears this tiny, desperate "stop" escape Stiles on a breath. His hands move to the bed beside Stiles as he pushes himself up to hover over Stiles completely separating their bodies as fast as possible. Derek looks down and sees Stiles eyes wide and glassy with tears.

Derek is an _ass_.

Stiles looks up at him bewildered and whispers, "You stopped."

"You asked me to Stiles."

Stiles starts to cry then and Derek just doesn't know what to do. After a moment he awkwardly says, "I don't want to hurt you; what can I do?"

Stiles just pulls him down and Derek ends up being the big spoon with his arm lightly around Stiles waist while he cries a little more. When Stiles quiets Derek disentangles their limbs to find a Kleenex box. When he rolls off the bed to grab the box off the desk Stiles sits up against the headboard. Derek sits right next to him as he blows his nose and wipes his eyes.

"I'm sorry. If you want to-"

"I'm not leaving and how dare you think so little of me that I'd just up and walk away because you wanted to stop. I should be the one apologizing. I thought you might be uncomfortable and didn't just ask you if this was something you wanted."

Stiles is looking at him wide eyed again like he can't believe what Derek's saying. Derek decides to make up for his negligence with bluntness. Something he's learned from Stiles, being blunt.

"Are you comfortable with us having sex?"

"No, no I'm not. But it's not you; I really, really like you I just- Sex isn't something I do anymore."

Derek nods.

"That's okay-"

"No it's not! You should be with someone who can give you that. Who can make you happy!"

"Excuse me, but I'd rather have you than have sex."

That shuts him up.

"You- you're not kidding."

"No, Stiles I'm not kidding. I'm falling in love with you, all of you, and I just want you to be happy and comfortable and safe more than I want to have sex with you."

When Derek leaves it at that Stiles blurts out.

"Aren't you going to ask me why? Don't you want to know?"

"Only if you want to tell me."

"How the fuck are you real dude."

Derek just shrugs and waits. It comes in starts and stops but Stiles tells him about how after his first girlfriend in college things spiraled out of his control in his next relationship. He tells Derek about the dude he was with. How it wasn’t until 6 months into the relationship when he’d drunkenly told Lydia everything that would go on. How he’d woken up in Lydia’s apartment the next morning instead of his own with Scott, Allison, and Lydia there for an intervention. They actually started it with, “this is an intervention.”

It had opened Stiles eyes to what was really happening. The emotional abuse and the fact that the guy would tear down Stiles and call him names. The controlling atmosphere in how he wouldn’t let Stiles go out with friends and had to always tell him where he was. How there were punishments for ‘misbehavior’. Once they’d pulled Stiles out of the situation he had seen fairly clearly what had been happening. It was the bad BDSM practices that really bothered Derek. He’d been in that world for a little bit and everything that Stiles told him the guy would do made Derek’s skin crawl. Derek was left reeling when Stiles finished the story about how Scott had gone back to the guys apartment with him and got all of Stiles’ stuff with him so he could cut all ties immediately.

Stiles told him about his mild PTSD he’d had to deal with and how he doesn’t even go out drinking with his friends anymore in fear of seeing the guy or getting hit on by someone. He’d started to identify as asexual just to avoid sex altogether. He’d looked so worried when he told Derek that. Derek just shook his head and put his hand in Stiles’.

“Stiles the first person I had sex with was Paige and I really only did that because ‘everybody was doing it’ and we really did care about each other. I slept with one dude one night when I was drunk at college. The sex was good but I didn’t like that I had no idea who the guy was. And after Kate- just- sex is not the most important part of a relationship for me and I’m definitely ok with not having sex, ever, if you don’t want to. I’m not about to make you do something you don’t want to. Kate did that to me and I’m not about to do that to you.”

Later, with a lot more talking, and lots of tea while they sat on the couch together, Stiles decides he can trust Derek with this and Derek decides to live up to that trust.

 

\- A year and a half later -

 

Derek’s laying on Stiles’ and his bed in their new apartment. It’s Friday and neither of them have to be up to do anything in the morning. They moved on Monday and they have two weeks before school starts. He’s reading an article about private lessons and how to market your services when something lands on the bed next to him. He peers down and sees-

Ok. That’s. Normally Derek’s the one to instigate these things since he’s the sexual person in their relationship. He looks up at Stiles with an eyebrow quirked in question.

“Yes?”

“I want to fuck you.”

Derek chokes on air and Stiles laughs.

“What- Where is this coming from?”

“Hmmm. Lots of places really.”

Stiles stalks over to the bed and crawls up over Derek and straddles his lap.

“I have a job teaching what I love to the snotty high schoolers down the street. Your business is booming. New apartment that needs christening still.”

He takes the magazine from Derek and Derek lets him do whatever because damn. Derek is so ready for this.

“Should I go on?”

“You will whether I want you to or not.”

Derek says with a smile as Stiles pulls Derek’s glasses off and kisses his temple.

“Well there’s the fact that I love you. A whole lot. And when we used that new toy last week for the first time, all I could think was ‘I could be the one to fuck Derek. Not some toy. Me.’ And then it hit me that I _wanted_ that.”

He’s holding Derek’s face with both hands as he lays tender kisses all over his face.

“You’ve made me feel so safe and loved for so long that I actually want to.”

Derek doesn’t want to ruin the moment but he has to be sure this is Stiles who wants this. That he’s not offering to do something he’s uncomfortable with just to make Derek happy. The beginnings of their relationship wasn’t perfect but slowly they worked through everything. Stiles had just gotten hired at the local high school to teach history. Derek had year round clients that he was teaching and training. They’d gotten an apartment that was the same distance to the school as it was from the ranch. Their parents couldn’t be happier. Well maybe if they got married but that’s what the little box in Derek’s sweater drawer was for anyway.

“Stiles, are you sure?”

Stiles nodded.

“Yes, sir. If you don’t believe me we’ll use safe words. Then if I do feel uncomfortable I can say it and we’ll stop.”

Derek is all on board with that plan.

“What’s your word? Mine’s apples.”

Stiles smiled warmly, “Of course it is. Mine’s candle.”

Derek reached up and cupped Stiles face.

“We only have to do this if it’s something you want. I am perfectly happy with what we do already. You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”  
“Derek, I want to.”

Derek nods, convinced.

“How do you want to do this?”

Stiles’ answering smile is blinding.

-

After, they’re laying sprawled together in a sweaty sated mess of limbs. Derek is panting like he just ran 5 miles. When he can finally think again he feels Stiles humming while he drags his fingertips up and down Derek’s arm. This is simultaneously like every other afterglow they have and nothing like them at the same time. He turns to look at Stiles and meets his small smile with one of his own. His voice sounds blissed out even to him when he tries to talk.

“You know if you had asked me that summer after you graduated where I’d be in two years I would have maybe said I’d be living on the ranch, working. I don’t think I could have hoped for someone like you to love, that I’d end up here with someone like you. Sarcastic, kind of a jerk, klutzy, obsessive-“

“Hey!”

“Secret romantic, passionate, and hot like burning.”

“Better. I would have had no idea I’d fall for someone let alone do what we just did. You fixed-“

“You weren't broken. There was nothing to fix. I just wanted to love you.”

“And for that I’m going to wipe any and all memories of Kate Argent from your brain.”

“Who the fuck is Kate Argent?”


End file.
